The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a combustor and, more particularly, to a combustor having wake air injection capability.
In gas turbine engines and other types of turbomachines, air flow is directed towards premixers in which fuel and air are mixed prior to being combusted in a combustion zone of a combustor. The fuel may be provided by way of fuel injectors disposed in the air flow whereby the mixing of the fuel and air is achieved at least partly as a result of cross flow velocities of the air flow being maintained at and around the fuel injectors.
It has been observed, however, that wakes can be generated by any streamlined or non-streamlined bodies disposed within the air flow. These wakes can disturb the air flow and lead to decreased cross flow velocities at and around the fuel injectors. The decreased cross flow velocities can negatively affect flame holding capability of the system. In some cases, fuel can be pulled up into recirculation zones in the combustion zone where mixed fuel can thus come in contact with hot surfaces of the combustor causing them to autoignite and initiate flame holding in flow sleeve liner annulus passages.